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Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to do

Hello Ladies,
At the recommendation of our Pediatrician, we started introducing solids at 6 months. We are using the Baby Led Weaning method and have offered only finger foods (Apple, pear, banana, sweet potato, carrot, etc). It has been 3 weeks and he has taken to it so well that he is now eating quite a bit. I only offer once a day after nursing, but he will eat (as an example) a slice of pear, slice of avocado, and slice of sweet potato. I have noticed that the last few days at the sitters, he has been taking less breast milk than usual from the bottle. He still nurses the same amount when I am home, but of course I cannot tell how much milk he is actually getting. He used to eat about 1.5 ounces an hour at the sitters (in 3-4 oz bottles). So if I worked 8 hours, he would eat 10-12 ounces. The last week, as his solid food intake is increasing and he is actually getting more in his mouth and swallowing it, he has been decreasing his intake of breast milk. The last day I worked he ate 8 ounces in 9 hours, and tonight, he only ate about 6-7 ounces in 9 hours. He nursed right before he went, and right when I got home, but it is still a decrease from his pre-solid food amount. I am nervous that he is not nursing as much because of the solids, but I am not sure I can cut out the solids because he genuinely seems interested in eating with us at the table and he gets really upset if I do not give him food. I always nurse before, and he usually wants to nurse soon after. I am just nervous that my supply will either decrease, or he will wean too soon and I know that he should really be getting mostly breast milk for at least the first year. Any thoughts? Should I just go with the flow since he is genuinely enjoying himself and seems very keen to try food? What have your experiences been, and what do you think I should do, if anything?

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

My son has done the same thing! He eats like a champ, a combo of baby-led eating with things like banana, avocado and sweet potato, and also some recipes I have made for him with a lot of things mixed. He used to take 12-14oz while I was gone for about 9 hours. Now he will take about 7 or 8. My parents always feed him the bottle first, but he just seems to want the milk less. They usually have one bottle left when I get home.

I personally don't think its something to really worry too much about, but I am no expert, only have the one baby. I have seen a reduction in supply but I just personally think its normal for some babies. He stills nurses a lot while I am home so... I just try to go with it!

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

Oh- thanks for the response- my son, also, nurses like a champ when I am home, but he has just really seemed to enjoy eating with us. I will try not to worry too much about it- as this is also my only kid! I have found that to be the hardest task is to just relax and let him lead the way- tough lesson! Anyway, thanks for the input. We are definitely enjoying the baby-led weaning/eating! Oh- and on a side note that has nothing to do with this post- he only woke up once last night to eat for the first time EVER- I am so excited I just had to share!! Yay!

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

From what I understand it's pretty inevitable that once you start solids there will be a reduction in milk intake. I don't pump, and he nurses almost as frequently even at 11 months. But I'm sure the actual milk he takes in is less than when he was just on breastmilk, if you kwim. I think the best thing you can do for your supply and to ensure he still gets lots of milk is go very gradual. We did one meal a day from 6-7 months, two meals from about 7-9 months, and by 10 months he was eating 3 meals a day. But still throws most of it on the floor! He does expect to sit with the family and be given food though. And be was doing that by about 8 months. Just follow baby's lead, slowly and gradually, and all will be fine!

Mama to five beautiful kids- 9, 8, 3, 2 and currently nursing our new baby girl born 1/20/2013

"It should not be necessary to tell reasonably intelligent mammals to suckle and not dismember their neonates." ~Susan Blustein

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

We went gradual, too, that is good advice. We started earlier because he insisted, but we did the same thing, he only had it every now and then for a while, then at 5 months he ate once a day, then 2 times from 6-7 months and now at 8 months he is up to eating with us for every meal. Sometimes he only eats half of what is offered, and that is fine. I do ALWAYS make sure to breast feed him before because I just don't think its a good idea to replace milk with food at this point, but he always wants to eat, too, so we let him ^__^

It was so much easier when we only had to worry about bfing him! Now we have to think about his meals all the time, too, because I make his food. We actually try to make food for him that we eat, too so we can all eat together. Its been fun. We have a book called "Cooking for Baby" by Lisa Barnes and it has some superb meals in it, even for us to eat! We also got a Baby Bullet and some freezer containers by Beaba which have been super useful even though they are expensive. I find it fun but I like to cook so I am a little nuts about it, haha.

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

Thanks ladies! I will just keep doing what I am doing and go with it! Like I said, he seems to be having fun- we found out today he even likes salt-free Cajun seasoning on his sweet potato wedges! On a side note- anyone having experience with introducing solids and a drastic decrease in poop? Pre-solid food, he was having poopy diapers at least once a day if not more, and now it is like maybe once a week! I am assuming this is normal. Anyway, thanks for the thoughts- I feel better!

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

Keep an eye on the stools. If they are painless, it is Ok. But my third became constipated very easily, to the point of being unable to go. Give more P foods, and you can try a bit of apple juice to keep the stools coming

Re: Solid Intro= Less Nursing..What to d

My twin girls are 10 months and in the last 3 months we had lots of phases when they ate 2-3 meals of solids per day and then again refused to eat everything but mother milk. Sometimes we still go whole day just BF and some pieces of finger food (mainly bread sticks). This was also reflected in stools, we had everything, including 5 stools per day (not diarrhoea) and severe constipation (during which i returned to exclusive BF for a week). Now, we are very careful with foods like banana, carrots, parsnip, rice etc. and offer water during the meals.

I believe this phases were mainly due to teething and colds (some with fever).

I never had any problems with milk supply (i just had to BF a bit more often). I got more milk after few days.